


Piano Man

by Jacie



Series: NCIS: Piano Man Series [1]
Category: NCIS
Genre: Co-workers, M/M, Music, Piano, Secret Relationship, Secrets, Singing
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-09-08
Updated: 2019-09-08
Packaged: 2020-10-12 05:16:52
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,806
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20558861
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Jacie/pseuds/Jacie
Summary: Tony plays piano after work and the team finds out.





	Piano Man

**Author's Note:**

> Like many fanfic writers, I have a file of unfished WIPs. I've decided to try to finish some of them up. I wrote the first half of this in 2016, then wasn't sure where I wanted to take it. I had a thought for it today and wrote the second half. Enjoy!

Tony’s fingers flittered across the keys of the piano as he focused on the melody. Playing the piano eased his mind. Gibbs had his bourbon and boats, Tony had his martinis and music. It was a part of his life he had attempted to keep separate from his work. When his co-workers asked what he was doing the nights he played piano, he’d just smile and say he had a date. The bar had several servers and a couple of bartenders. He’d often use one of their names, saying he was spending the evening with one of them.

Although he took requests, his favorite things to play were show tunes and songs his Mother had taught him. Sometimes he only played piano, inviting customers to sing if they wanted to and often invited a pretty girl to share his microphone. Other times he sang himself. He’d managed to upload a wide variety of music and lyrics onto his laptop and had a place to set it on top of the piano. 

The bar had a beautiful baby grand sitting unused and he had asked if he could play it. He hadn’t played in years. He loved music, but his piano teacher liked to rap a ruler across his knuckles when he made mistakes. It wasn’t a memory he enjoyed revisiting. During his early years as a cop, he didn’t have a piano, but when he’d moved to DC and had room for it, he asked his father if he could have his mother’s baby grand.

Even the first night he played at the restaurant, his fingers seemed to know exactly what keys to press and he received applause and free drinks from his fellow patrons. He’d been slightly embarrassed the night one of the bartenders came over and set a tip jar down at the end of the piano in the middle of a song. It already had a few bills in the bottom. At first, he was embarrassed to put out a tip jar, but before he’d finished the song, the jar was half full. It had made him smile. At the end of the night, the bartender said the other patrons were asking if they could tip the piano man and had been giving the tips to her to hold for him. 

That was when it had all began years ago. And in all the years, he had never told Tim, Ellie or even Abby. None of them knew. But there they were, those familiar faces. Just as he was beginning to sing _The Way We Were_, in walked Ellie and Jake. They made it to their table, ordered their drinks, then were just staring at him as if they couldn’t believe he would be playing the piano and singing. At least they applauded at the end of the song. 

He scanned through the requests people had passed up to him and settled into the Beatles _Yesterday_. When it was obvious that he had caught Ellie’s eyes, he simply smiled and continued with his song. He watched as they ate dinner, patrons came and went, but Ellie and Jake stayed for a drink after they ate.

On his break, he pulled a third chair up to their table.

“I never would have guessed, Tony,” Ellie began. “You’re very talented in ways I would have never suspected.” Leaning in close, she whispered, “You’re not undercover, are you?”

Tony laughed and nodded his head. “No, it’s just something I do to take a break from the job; focus on something else for a while.”

“Like Gibbs and his boats?”

“Exactly. But it is sort of a secret, so if we could keep it between just you and me, that would be awesome.”

“Well…” 

Before she finished her thought, Tim walked in with a smug grin and sat down. “When I saw Bishop’s Facebook post I just had to check out this perfect little dining establishment that featured Tony DiNozzo on piano.”

Tony glared at Ellie. “You didn’t!”

“I did, but it only went out to people we work with. Sorry, Tony, I didn’t know this was a secret.”

“A secret?” Tim asked. “Just how long have you been doing this?”

“A few years.”

“Years?”

“Pretty much since I’ve been with NCIS. I came in here one night and it sort of caught on. It settles my mind after a long day at work and the patrons seem to enjoy it.”

“What happens if we pull a case?” Tim asked.

Tony rolled his eyes and scrubbed his hands across his face. “Karaoke.” 

Tim chuckled. “Interesting.”

Tony turned back to Ellie, hissing at her, “Take that damn post down.”

“Okay, okay,” she said as she pulled out her cell phone.

A moment later, Abby ran in through the door, then to the table. Eyeing the empty adjoining table, she nodded for Tim to help her move it closer. 

“Tony, this is so cool,” Abby began. “Why didn’t you ever tell us?”

“Because it’s private.”

Abby looked around the establishment. “I don’t think so. It all looks very public to me. Now, go play. I want to hear you sing something.”

“Is that your request?” Tony asked with a smile.

“Is what my request?”

“_Something_?”

“Well, it’s not like you can sing _nothing_,” she countered.

“Exactly.” Once he returned to the piano, he started his next set off with The Beatles _Something_.

Two more songs into the set, there was no mistaking the gray-haired man walking in the door wearing a red USMC hoodie.

“Unbelievable,” Tony muttered to himself. Waving to the bartender, he signaled for her to bring him a refill. 

Gibbs gave Tony a nod then headed for the bar. It didn’t take long for him to catch sight of Abby, Tim and Ellie waving him over to their table. His eyes returned to Tony who shrugged and shook his head as he sang Chicago’s _Color My World_.

Before Gibbs made it to the bar, the bartender had his drink ready for him. He slammed it and asked for a second. “And make it a double.”

The team had made a spot for him at their table, so he felt compelled to go sit with them, bringing along a bucket of beer, and his glass of bourbon. He rolled his eyes as he took his seat while Tony winked at him and sang, Johnny Rivers’ _Secret Agent Man_. 

On Tony’s next break, he slipped through down the hallway to the bathroom and was not surprised to find Gibbs there waiting for him. 

“What the hell is the team doing here?” Gibbs asked. “Did you invite them? I thought we agreed to keep this a secret thing.”

Tony cupped Gibbs face with both hands and kissed him. After a hug, he pushed back and smiled. “I did not invite them. Apparently Ellie and Jake stopped in for dinner, saw me playing, then Ellie posted it on Facebook.”

“What the hell is a Facebook?”

“Social media. Like Twitter only with more words.” When Gibbs only stared blankly, Tony added, “Internet stuff. You wouldn’t know. Tim and Abby saw her post and showed up a few minutes later. I don’t know how we’re going to explain you being here.”

“My gut?”

“I think we’re going to have to come clean. There’s no other way to explain you showing up the same night they did.”

Gibbs threw his hands in the air, then reached to hold the door open for Tony. 

Tony stopped abruptly. “If we do it the right way, maybe they won’t even believe it.”

The pair returned to the table together and each grabbed a beer from the bucket.

“So, now you guys all know. I have a secret life as a piano man.”

“It’s cool,” said Abby. “You’re like Clint Eastwood in _In The Line Of Fire_.”

“Yeah, something like that. This place is very special to me.”

“What made you come here in the first place?” asked Tim.

Tony toyed with his beer bottle, then took a drink before responding. “I needed a drink and a meal one night after a hard day at work. The food is good, it’s reasonable, and they’re open late. They have live music on the weekends, but during the week, the piano was just sitting unused. I asked if it was okay if I played it when I come in.”

“And a star was born,” said Abby as she leaned over to hug Tony. “This is so awesome!”

“It turns out that I enjoy playing for an audience. Getting free drinks and a little cash on the side is a nice bonus.”

Ellie turned to Gibbs. “What brought you here tonight?” 

Gibbs coughed slightly. “Your Facebook post, like everyone else.”

Tim’s eyes narrowed. “Facebook? You expect us to believe you have a Facebook account? You don’t even have a computer!”

“Actually, Tony called me. He said Ellie posted something and the gang was all here, so I might as well show up, too.”

“The bartender had your drink ready before you ever reached the bar,” Ellie pointed out. “You’ve been here before. You already knew that Tony played here!”

Standing up quickly, Tony wrapped his arms around Gibbs from the back. “Yes, I’m not only a secret piano man, but I’m also Gibbs’ secret lover. You’ve found us out.”

For his next set, Tony played nothing but love songs, while smiling and winking at Gibbs. The rest of the team glanced between Tony and Gibbs, staring in disbelief. 

At the end of the night, Tony shoved his tips into his pockets, then returned to the table and grabbed Gibbs’ hand. “Well, it is a school night and we need to get to bed. Thanks for showing up!” 

After they left, Tim looked to Abby then Ellie. “You don’t think they’re serious do you?”

“Bossman and Tony?” Abby asked. “They’d be a good match, but they couldn’t have kept this a secret all this time. No way. They’ve both dated women over the years. They must be joking around.”

Drumming her fingers on the table, Ellie looked thoughtful. “It’s clear Gibbs has been here before though.”

“They didn’t come together,” Abby pointed out. “Tony was here long before Gibbs. I thought one of you guys called Gibbs and told him.”

Both Ellie and Tim shook their heads. 

Jake returned to the table with a smile. “According to the bartender, Tony has been playing here for years. Gibbs just started showing up about two years ago. She is pretty sure they’re a couple.”

“They are perfect for each other,” Abby declared.

“Secret piano man and a secret relationship,” said Tim. “What do we do now?”

“Isn’t it obvious?” asked Ellie. “We need to make a standing reservation for the nights that Tony plays piano here!”

~End~  
09/07/2019  
© 2019 by Jacie


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